How can you tell high-quality chenille fabric apart?

Fiber Source and Twist

• Requirements are for “low-pilling modified polyester” or “solution-dyed acrylic”; both must achieve a Martindale abrasion resistance of ≥15,000 cycles at Grade 4.

• Grasp the 10-cm-long yarn end and twist it in the opposite direction: if the opening angle exceeds 45°, it indicates that the core yarn has insufficient twist → pilling will occur more rapidly.

Uniformity of pile density and height

• View the fabric from a distance of 30 centimeters from the LED light; the shadow should be uniform. Bright and dark stripes indicate uneven cutting or missing pile.

• Gentle stroking in the reverse-fuzz direction: high-end products regain their upright posture within 2 seconds; lower-end products remain flat.

Back fabric tightness

• The weft density of upholstery fabric shall be ≥18 stitches/cm; when the stitch count is lower, the base fabric will show through under tension, leading to seam splitting.

• Pierce the fabric with a needle; if it penetrates with almost no resistance, the base fabric is woven too loosely.

Colorfastness traceability

• Look for the labels “ISO 105 C06 ≥ 4–5” (water washing) and “ISO 105 X12 ≥ 4” (rubbing). Fabrics that fall below these standards may bleed color on light-colored furniture.

• Wipe 10 times with a white damp cloth; pass if no color transfer occurs.

No post-finishing feel

• Soak a 20 cm × 20 cm sample fabric in water at 30°C containing 1 g/L of neutral detergent, then lay it flat to air-dry. If the fabric becomes stiff or sticky, it indicates that a large amount of silicone oil has been used to mask yarn defects; high-quality products, by contrast, remain soft.

Certification and Physical Data

• Upholstery fabrics shall be labeled with a Martindale abrasion rating of ≥25,000 cycles, a pilling resistance rating of EN ISO 12945-2 ≥3–4, and compliance with either the UFAC/NFPA 260 or BS 5852 fire-retardant standards.